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Yoda
USA
284 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 26 2006 : 5:12:14 PM
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| Sean just told me about "Yin Yoga" where you very gently hold a posture for 5+ minutes. Not all postures are good for this, but he told me to experiment with it. Any thoughts? |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2006 : 2:09:24 PM
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Yoda, I've done stuff like that myself, without being taught. It can definitely be good. Very relaxing.
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2006 : 10:03:23 PM
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Hi Yoda,
I've been doing yin classes off and on for the last 6 months or so and overall I do like them, I find that you can loosen up some areas that are stubbornly tight.
The only issue I have is that it is easy to take it into excess. Because the postures are held usually up to 5 minute, what starts off as a light stretch becomes fairly intensive as you relax into the posture over time. I find that there is a lot of strain on the muscle tissue, and supporting tendons and ligaments if not done very gently. I've also noticed an increased risk of injury if you engage in any ballistic type movements with the same muscle groups within a day or two of the classes.
I like the classes, I just avoid doing them too close to engaging in any intensive high velocity exercise.
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sean
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2006 : 03:34:55 AM
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Oh crap, so I should stop doing Yin Yoga and then going straight to Brazilian jiu-jitsu then. 
http://www.thetaobums.com/forum |
Edited by - sean on Apr 28 2006 03:38:09 AM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2006 : 09:47:19 AM
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Yoda, Anthem,
I have found that after holding a posture for a long time, ( like five minutes) it is good to come out of it very slowly, like over maybe a period of three minutes more, that is, very gradually relieving it in stages over a while.
I don't know if they teach this in Yin Yoga.
-D |
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yogagal
3 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2006 : 10:58:11 AM
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I am a yin yoga teacher in the Chicago area. If anyone has any questions about doing yin yoga, just ask.
Yin yoga is based on Chinese Taoist philosophy. It is also referred to as "needleless acupuncture". Yin yoga is all about stretching the connective tissue of the body where the meridians are contained in order to facilitate the flow of chi (TCM term) or prana (hatha yoga term) in the body.
"...I realized what coming here does for me -- India integrates me, takes the yin and yang and pulls it together into the One that gives me peace. It is hard to describe, but when I realized it, it literally felt like two halves melting into one." |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2006 : 11:31:57 AM
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Welcome to the board Yogagal.
Since no-one answered my question, maybe you could: in order to come out of a posture that you have held for a long time, do you teach the gradual reduction of the posture before exiting it, or do you just come straight out of it?
I have found that after holding a posture for a long time, ( like five minutes) it is good to come out of it very slowly, like over maybe a period of three minutes more, that is, very gradually relieving it in stages over a while.
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sean
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2006 : 03:13:11 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by yogagal
Yin yoga is based on Chinese Taoist philosophy. It is also referred to as "needleless acupuncture".
Wow! I had no idea it was called this and I had been thinking this exact thing. I've never done a Yoga style where I could so clearly feel the meridians and also specific acupoints "talking" to each other, exactly like when I go to acupuncture. Really cool.
Sean
http://www.thetaobums.com/forum |
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yogagal
3 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2006 : 11:12:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by david_obsidian
Since no-one answered my question, maybe you could: in order to come out of a posture that you have held for a long time, do you teach the gradual reduction of the posture before exiting it, or do you just come straight out of it?
yes, you always come out of it slowly and mindfully, no rushing. focus on what you are feeling.
"...I realized what coming here does for me -- India integrates me, takes the yin and yang and pulls it together into the One that gives me peace. It is hard to describe, but when I realized it, it literally felt like two halves melting into one." |
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Mike
United Kingdom
77 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 10:06:00 AM
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From the http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1883991439 - "Yin Yoga" by Paul Grilley... gets 5* from 13 reviews...
quote:
From Publishers Weekly
Yoga as practiced in North America is almost exclusively "yang" in nature, meaning that it relies upon postures that aggressively stretch the muscles. Paul Grilley offers his book Yin Yoga: Outline of a Quiet Practice as a counterbalance to this trend. Yin yoga, he says, should only be done when muscles are already relaxed, and postures should be held for long periods at least several minutes. Yin yoga can be used to unwind, and is particularly appropriate for the end of the day. Anyone who thinks that yin yoga sounds wimpy should gaze hard at the 35 photographs in this book, which illustrate some pretty challenging poses. Grilley's technique offers a unique blend of yoga meditation and Taoist principles.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
How to balance Yoga practice. As Yoga matures in the U.S., this is a new approach to balance physical and mental health, for serious students and beginners. All yoga forms emphasizing either muscle (Yang) or connective (Yin) tissue. Today, all popular Yoga forms are Yang--muscular. Yin Yoga is unknown, but vital, as a balanced Yoga practice has many benefits, including better preparation for meditation. Yin Yoga focuses upon connective tissue, which does not stretch or respond to brief stresses as muscle will, so Yin postures are held a long time, with the muscles relaxed. Acupuncture meridians are also in connective tissues and Yin Yoga is specifically designed to stimulate them.
Divided into two sections, the second part of the book deals with chakras, breathing exercises and meditation, and is • fully illustrated • with clear, concise descriptions of Yoga postures
I thought this was interesting as it has a number of parallels with Zhan Zhaung (relaxed muscles, positions held for a long period of time)...
So on this categorisation then the AYP (and all other?) asanas are Yang yoga then?
Mike |
Edited by - Mike on Mar 28 2007 11:11:06 AM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 10:35:58 AM
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You could categorize the hatha yoga part of AYP that way. I personally would not be inclined to use the category 'yang yoga'; there is no reason for example why the 'yin' approach could not be taken to the AYP asanas. So the term might be somewhat misleading, as if implying that there is a deep fundamental reason for the distinct classification. In practice, it's only a difference in the way postures are done.
And that's only the hatha yoga (asanas) part of AYP, which is a small part of it.
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Mar 28 2007 10:39:59 AM |
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